FFXIV and Dissidia: Knights of Ishgard

CHAPTER ONE: SOHM AL

The Myath hadn't proved to be difficult, but as the structure around them collapsed, Saoirse and Estinien found themselves separated from the rest of the party. Saoirse was certain that Alphinaud and the others would manage until they could reconvene, but she wasn't so sure about herself. She'd conquered dozens of dungeons, defeated Primals the size of nightmares, and taken on hordes of enemies without so much as batting an eye but being alone with Estinien was another beast entirely. Or at least...it was now. Now that she understood her feelings.

She wasn't quite sure when it happened exactly, but at some point, during their time together, she fell for him. She questioned it at first, unsure of how she could possibly love anyone so infuriating, but soon she realized that he only irritated her because she cared, and truthfully, she appreciated their bickering. He challenged her in ways others failed to. He respected her role as the Warrior of Light, but he didn't put her on a pedestal like so many others did. He called her on her mistakes. He teased her relentlessly and didn't blindly follow everything she said...and at times, though rare as they were, he was kind. It was a vulnerability he showed few, but he let her in and that touched her. Since realizing how she felt; however, she struggled to be around him. She found herself lost in thought, nervous, or over analyzing every word, every action. At least with the others around there was buffer between them. She could focus.

"Hey, are you listening?" Estinien flicked Saoirse's forehead, snapping her back to reality.

"Ow." She rubbed the tender skin just beneath her bangs. "I'm listening, I'm listening."

"Then hurry up. Should we follow our current path, then we can rendezvous with the others on the other side." Estinien grabbed her hand and pulled her along. "But should we continue at your pace it will be a new Astral Era by then."

Saoirse yanked her arm back and crossed them over her chest. "Yeah, yeah. I'm not a child, I don't need you to hold my hand."

"Hmph. May well have fooled me." Estinien shrugged and continued forward. "Do not presume to scream to me then should you fall off the cliffside."

"Please, I know how to walk." Saoirse was too busy turning her nose up at him to notice that Estinien walked around a certain patch of rock and instead of following his path, she stepped right on it. The earth beneath her foot gave way, but before she could plummet to her death Estinien caught her wrist.

He pulled her back up on to the mountainside, but he did not release her once she was on her feet. "I know you are capable of basic motor functions, but you are also maladroit, so no more of your obstinance." His voice was commanding, but there was softness to his eyes beneath his Dragoon armor. "Just do as I ask. Should something befall you while on my watch...I could not live with myself."

Saoirse's face felt hot. She looked at the ground, embarrassed both by her arrogance and her clumsiness. "Fine...lead the way." She let him continue to hold her hand and watched his feet as he led her along. Sure, he could have approached the issue a different way in the beginning that would have made her less likely to reject his help, but that's all he'd wanted...was to help. He just had a weird way of telling her.

Once around the mountainside Estinien released Saoirse's hand. She would need it to cast her spells when they encountered an enemy...and they would. Far more than one. The first few wyrms were easy enough to handle on their own, but as they neared Tioman's location, not only did the number of dragons increase, but more powerful foes appeared. Saoirse wasn't equipped to deal out massive amounts of damage. She was a White Mage, her gifts were in healing, not fighting, but even as gifted as Estinien was, he couldn't take them on alone.

By the time only two dragons remained, Saoirse's stamina was running thin. She was amid casting Stone against a cryodragon when the pyrodragon Estinien had been occupying redirected his attention and turned to attack her.